G.R. No.

158866 September 9, 2013

BANCO FILIPINO SAVINGS AND MORTGAGE BANK, Petitioner,
vs.
TALA REALTY SERVICES CORPORATION, PEDRO B. AGUIRRE,
REMEDIOS A. DUPASQUIER, PILAR D. ONGKING, ELIZABETH H.
PALMA, DOLLY W. LIM RUBENCITO M. DEL MUNDO, ADD
INTERNATIONAL SERVICES, INCORPORATED, and NANCY L. TY,
Respondents.
x-----------------------x
G.R. No. 181933
NANCY L. TY, Petitioner,
vs.
BANCO FILIPINO SAVINGS AND MORTGAGE BANK, Respondent.
x-----------------------x
G.R. No. 187551
BANCO FILIPINO SAVINGS AND MORTGAGE BANK, Petitioner,
vs.
COURT OF APPEALS, TALA REALTY SERVICES CORPORATION,
NANCY L. TY, PEDRO B. AGUIRRE, REMEDIOS A. DUPASQUIER,
PILAR D. ONGKING, ELIZABETH H. PALMA, DOLLY W. LIM,
RUBENCITO M. DEL MUNDO, and ADD INTERNATIONAL SERVICES,
INCORPORATED, Respondents.
RESOLUTION
PERLAS-BERNABE, J.:
Assailed in there consolidated petitions for review on certiorari1 are the
separate issuances of the Court of Appeals (CA) in relation to several
complaint for reconveyance filed by Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgage
Bank (Banco Filipino).
In particular, the petition in G.R. No. 158866 filed by Banco Filipino assails
the CA’s Decision2 dated June 23, 2003 in CA-G.R. SP No. 43550 which
affirmed the Orders of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of San Fernando, La
Union, Branch 66 (RTC-La Union) dated November 25, 19963 and January
22, 1997,4 dismissing Banco Filipino’s complaint for reconveyance in Civil
Case No. 4992.
Meanwhile, the petition in G.R. No. 181933 filed by Nancy L. Ty (Nancy)
assails the CA’s Decision5 dated June 19, 2007 and Resolution6 dated
February 20, 2008 in CA-G.R. SP No. 78241 which affirmed the Orders of
the RTC of Parañaque City, Branch 274 (RTC-Parañaque City)dated
January 13, 20037 and May 16, 2003,8 denying Nancy’s motion to dismiss
Banco Filipino’s complaint for reconveyance in Civil Case No. 95-0230.
Lastly, the petition in G.R. No. 187551 filed by Banco Filipino assails the
CA’s Decision9 dated December 12, 2008 and Resolution10 dated April3,
2009 in CA-G.R. CV No. 85159 which affirmed the Orders of the RTC of
Las Piñas City, Branch 255 (RTC-Las Piñas City) dated August 31, 200411
and May 27, 2005,12 dismissing Banco Filipino’s complaint for
reconveyance in Civil Case No. 96-0036.
The Facts
Sometime in 1979, in the course of the expansion of its operations, Banco
Filipino found the necessity of acquiring real properties in order to open
new branch sites. In view, however, of the restriction imposed by Sections
25(a) and 3413 of Republic Act No. 33714 limiting a bank’s real estate
investments to only 50% of its capital assets, Banco Filipino, through its
board of directors, decided to "warehouse" several of its properties.15
Upon her behest and initiative, Nancy, together with Tomas B.Aguirre
(Tomas) and his brother Pedro B. Aguirre (Pedro) – all major stockholders
of Banco Filipino – organized and incorporated Tala Realty Services
Corporation (Tala Realty) to purchase and hold the real properties owned
by Banco Filipino in trust.16 Subsequently, Tomas, upon the insistence of
his sister Remedios A. Dupasquier (Remedios), endorsed to the latter his
shares in Tala Realty, which she eventually registered in the name of her
own corporation, Add International Services, Inc. (Add International).17 As a
result, Remedios, together with Nancy and Pedro, had control of Tala
Realty: Remedios exercised control through Add International and her
nominee Elizabeth H. Palma (Elizabeth); Nancy through her nominees Pilar
D. Ongking (Pilar), Dolly W. Lim (Dolly), and a certain Cynthia E. Mesina
(Cynthia);18 and Pedro through Tala Realty’s President, Rubencito M. del
Mundo (Rubencito).19
Banco Filipino entered into and, thereafter, proceeded to implement a
certain trust agreement (trust agreement) with Tala Realty by selling to the
latter some of its properties located in various cities and provinces
nationwide. In turn, Tala Realty leased these properties to Banco Filipino.20
In August 1992, however, Tala Realty repudiated the trust agreement,
asserted ownership and claimed full title over the properties, prompting
Banco Filipino to institute a total of 17 complaints for the reconveyance of
the said properties against Tala Realty and Add International, as well as
Nancy, Tomas, Pedro, Remedios, Pilar, Dolly, Elizabeth, and Rubencito
(defendants) in the various RTCs where the subject properties are found.21
The present consolidated petitions22 stemmed from three of these
reconveyance cases, in particular: (a) G.R. No. 158866 originated from
Civil Case No. 499223 which involved two parcels of land situated in La
Union;24 (b) G.R. No. 181933 was derived from Civil Case No. 95-023025
which involved a total of 12 properties located in Parañaque City;26 and (c)
G.R. No. 187551 originated from Civil Case No. 96-003627 which involved
one property found in Las Piñas City.28
Tala Realty, Add International, and the individual defendants, with the
exception of Nancy, moved29 for the dismissal of these complaints on the
common grounds of forum shopping, lack of cause of action, in pari delicto
and the unenforceability of the trust agreement. On the other hand, Nancy
separately filed motions to dismiss30 the three complaints, raising the
grounds of lack of jurisdiction, lis pendens, lack of cause of action as
against her and prescription.
The Proceedings Antecedent to G.R. No. 158866
In an Order31 dated November 25, 1996, the RTC-La Union granted the
defendants’ motions to dismiss on the ground of forum shopping. Taking
into consideration the various complaints for reconveyance filed by Banco
Filipino which were all hinged upon the same trust agreement executed
with Tala Realty, the RTC-La Union ratiocinated that the cause of action as
well as the evidence to be presented in the case before it are the same as
the cause of action and evidence in the other reconveyance cases, thereby
falling under the prohibition against forum shopping.
Banco Filipino’s motion for reconsideration was denied by the same court
in an Order dated January 22, 1997,32 hence, the recourse to the CA via a
petition for certiorari and mandamus,33 docketed as CA-G.R. SP No.43550.
In the said petition, Banco Filipino insisted that there could be no forum
shopping when the reconveyance cases that it filed involved various sets of
real properties found in different locations and covered by separate
contracts of sale and lease, thus, giving rise to different causes of action.34
After due proceedings, the CA, through the assailed Decision35 dated June
23, 2003, dismissed Banco Filipino’s petition, finding that there conveyance
suits filed by the latter were all based on the same trust agreement with
Tala Realty. In this regard, the CA held that all of the said cases are
1âwphi 1

anchored upon an identical cause of action and would necessarily involve

the same evidence.36
Dissatisfied, Banco Filipino filed the instant petition for review on certiorari
before the Court, docketed as G.R. No. 158866, maintaining its stance that
it did not engage in forum shopping.
The Proceedings Antecedent to G.R. No. 181933
In an Order37 dated January 13, 2003, the RTC-Parañaque City denied the
defendants’ motions to dismiss the complaint, finding no concurrence of the
elements of litis pendentia.38
Thus, it held that Banco Filipino committed no forum shopping in the filing
of the reconveyance cases. The R Parañaque City likewise found that the
allegations in the complaint sufficiently state a cause of action, and
disregarded the question of in paridelicto, not being a proper ground in a
motion to dismiss.39
The motions for reconsideration separately filed by the defendants were
denied in the RTC-Parañaque City’s May 16, 2003 Order.40 However, only
Nancy elevated the case to the CA via petition for certiorari,41 docketed as
CA-G.R. SP No. 78241. In her petition, she ascribed grave abuse of
discretion on the part of the RTC-Parañaque City in denying her motion to
dismiss, insisting that Banco Filipino had only one cause of action and
therefore, violated the rule on forum shopping when it split a single cause
of action. She also reiterated that the complaint stated no cause of action
as against her, and that Banco Filipino’s claim had already prescribed.42
In the assailed Decision43 dated June 19, 2007, the CA dismissed Nancy’s
petition, concurring with Banco Filipino’s posturing that while there may be
similarities in the factual antecedents of the reconveyance cases it had
simultaneously instituted, the differences in the property locations, as well
as in the manner by which the trusts were repudiated, gave rise to a distinct
cause of action in all the 17 reconveyance cases.44
Nancy’s motion for reconsideration was subsequently denied by the CA in
a Resolution dated February 20, 2008,45 hence, the petition for review on
certiorari in G.R. No. 181933, imputing error upon the CA for not finding
that the allegations in Banco Filipino’s complaint were insufficient to
establish a cause of action as against her. She also maintained that Banco
Filipino’s action had already prescribed and that the trust insisted upon by
the latter was void due to the principle of in pari delicto, thus, no recovery
can be made thereunder.
The Proceedings Antecedent to G.R. No. 187551
In an Order46 dated August 31, 2004, the RTC-Las Piñas City granted the
defendants’ motions to dismiss, finding that all the elements of litis
pendentia exist in the case before it: there was an identity of parties in the
17reconveyance cases filed by Banco Filipino and pending in different
identity of rights or causes of action founded on the same transaction and
identity of reliefs sought, which is the recovery of its properties.47
Banco Filipino’s motion for reconsideration was subsequently denied in the
RTC-Las Piñas City’s May 27, 2005 Order,48 hence, Banco Filipino
appealed to the CA, docketed as CA-G.R. CV No. 85159.
In a Decision49 dated December 12, 2008, the CA dismissed Banco
Filipino’s appeal not on the ground of forum shopping but for lack of cause
of action. In ruling that Banco Filipino committed no forum shopping when it
filed 17 reconveyance cases based on the same trust agreement, the CA
considered the rulings of the Court in G.R. No. 130184,50 G.R. No.
13916651 and in G.R. No. 14470552 finding that the elements of litis
pendentia are not present.
Nonetheless, the CA dismissed Banco Filipino’s complaint on the ground of
lack of cause of action, taking into account the Court’s Decision in G.R. No.
13753353 wherein it was pronounced that the implied trust between Banco
Filipino and Tala Realty was "in existent and void for being contrary to
law."54 Consequently, Banco Filipino cannot demand there conveyance of
its properties based on the said implied trust, effectively depriving it of any
cause of action in these cases.
Aggrieved, Banco Filipino filed before the Court its petition for review on
certiorari in G.R. No. 187551, raising the same issues that it had priorly
advanced before the appellate court.
The Issue Before the Court
At the core of the consolidated petitions is the essential and imperative
question of whether the reconveyance complaints filed by Banco Filipino
before the courts a quo can be allowed to prosper.
The Court’s Ruling
At the outset, the basic facts as well as the issues raised in these petitions
have already been passed upon by the Court in its Decision55 dated April 7,
2009 in G.R. Nos. 130088, 131469, 155171, 155201, and 166608 aswell
as its more recent Decision56 dated June 27, 2012 in G.R. No.
188302.Pertinently, in these cases, the Court applied the earlier case of
Tala Realty Services Corporation v. Banco Filipino Savings & Mortgage
Bank, docketed as G.R. No. 137533,57 wherein it declared, in no uncertain
terms, that the implied trust agreement between Banco Filipino and Tala
Realty is "in existent and void for being contrary to law." As such, Banco
Filipino cannot demand the reconveyance of the subject properties in the
present cases; neither can any affirmative relief be accorded to one party
against the other since they have been found to have acted in pari delicto,58
viz:
An implied trust could not have been formed between the Bank and Tala as
this Court has held that "where the purchase is made in violation of an
existing statute and in evasion of its express provision, no trust can result in
favor of the party who is guilty of the fraud." x x x.
xxxx
x x x The Bank cannot use the defense of nor seek enforcement of its
alleged implied trust with Tala since its purpose was contrary to law. As
admitted by the Bank, it "warehoused" its branch site holdings to Tala to
enable it to pursue its expansion program and purchase new branch sites
including its main branch in Makati, and at the same time avoid the real
property holdings limit under Sections 25(a)and 34 of the General Banking
Act which it had already reached. x x x
Clearly, the Bank was well aware of the limitations on its real estate
holdings under the General Banking Act and that its "ware housing
agreement" with Tala was a scheme to circumvent the limitation. Thus, the
Bank opted not to put the agreement in writing and call a spade a spade,
but instead phrased its right to reconveyance of the subject property at any
time as a "first preference to buy" at the "same transfer price." This
arrangement which the Bank claims to be an implied trust is contrary to
law. Thus, while we find the sale and lease of the subject property genuine
and binding upon the parties, we cannot enforce the implied trust even
assuming the parties intended to create it. x x x "The courts will not assist
the pay or in achieving his improper purpose by enforcing a resultant trust
for him in accordance with the ‘clean hands’ doctrine." The Bank cannot
thus demand reconveyance of the property based on its alleged implied
trust relationship with Tala. x x x.
xxxx
The Bank and Tala are in pari delicto, thus, no affirmative relief should be
given to one against the other. The Bank should not be allowed to dispute
the sale of its lands to Tala nor should Tala be allowed to further collect
rent from the Bank. The clean hands doctrine will not allow the creation or
the use of a juridical relation such as a trust to subvert, directly or indirectly,
the law. Neither the Bank nor Tala came to court with clean hands; neither
will obtain relief from the court as one who seeks equity and justice must
come to court with clean hands. By not allowing Tala to collect from the
Bank rent for the period during which the latter was arbitrarily closed, both
Tala and the Bank will be left where they are, each paying the price for its
deception.59 (Emphasis supplied; citations omitted)
Dictated by the principle of stare decisis et non quieta movere,60 which
enjoins adherence to judicial precedents, the Court therefore enforces its
ruling in G.R. No. 137533, as duly applied in the succeeding cases, i.e.,
G.R. Nos. 130088, 131469, 155171, 155201, and 166608; and G.R.
No.188302, as the controlling and binding doctrine in the resolution of
these consolidated petitions. In view of the nullity of the trust agreement,
Banco Filipino has no cause of action against Tala Realty, thereby
validating the dismissal of the former’s reconveyance complaints filed
before the courts aquo. For these reasons, the Court denies the petitions in
G.R. Nos. 158866and 187551 given that they both seek the reversal of the
CA’s Decision granting defendants’ motions to dismiss. On the contrary,
the Court grants the petition in G.R. No. 181933 since it properly seeks to
reverse the CA’s denial of Nancy’s motions to dismiss the reconveyance
cases.
WHEREFORE, the petitions in G.R. Nos. 158866 and 187551 are DENIED
and the Court of Appeals’ Decision dated June 23, 2003 in CA-G.R. SP No.
43550 and the Decision dated December 12, 2008 and Resolution dated
April 3, 2009 in CA-G.R. CV No. 85159 are hereby
AFFIRMED; while the petition in G.R. No. 181933 is GRANTED and the
Court of Appeals’ Decision dated June 19, 2007 and Resolution dated
February 20, 2008 in CA-G.R. SP No. 78241 are hereby REVERSED SET
ASIDE. The complaint for reconveyance filed by Banco Filipino Savings
and Mortgage Bank before the courts a quo are the DISMISSED.
SO ORDERED.
ESTELA M. PERLAS-BERNABE
Associate Justice